State attorney begins prosecution of accused child killer as George Zimmerman trial continues

The prosecution of Donald Smith, the convicted sex offender now charged with murder of 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle, begins with his indictment. Hear from State Attorney Angela Corey's former right hand man, Mike Weinstein on the state's decision to pursue the death penalty. And we're also talking about another high profile case: the George Zimmerman trial. Have the state's final witnesses helped or hurt the case?

YOU ARE WATCHING "THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE". GOOD MORNING ON THIS SUNDAY. WE BEGIN OUR SHOW WITH THE HIGH PROFILE CASE OF 8-YEAR-OLD CHERISH PERIWINKLE. THE SEX OFFENDER ACCUSED IN HER DEATH IS BEHIND BARS. A GRAND JURY INDICTED HIM ON CAPITAL MURDER, SEXUAL BATTERY AND KIDNAPPING. WE KNOW THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS GOING TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY. THIS IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT CASE IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS AN EMOTIONAL CASE. WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON OUR CORE MISSION OF PROSECUTING THE DEFENDANT. THEY HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING THE GRAND JURY HAD INDICTED DONALD SMITH. PROSECUTORS ALSO REVEALED HOW 8-YEAR-OLD CHERISH PERIWINKLE DIED SHE WAS RAPED AND STRANGLED. THIS IS THE ONE CRIME THAT GETS TO THE HEART OF EVERYONE INCLUDING HARDENED CRIMINALS. THERE ARE CERTAIN CRIMES THAT JUST GET TO EVERYONE. IT IS HARD. WE SPOKE WITH CHERISH'S MOTHER. SHE TOLD US SHE SUPPORTS THE STATE'S DECISION TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY. WE SPOKE TO THE PASTOR AT THE CHURCH CHERISH USE TO GO TO. YOU MESS WITH A CHILD I THINK THERE'S A CROSS OVER AND I'M ALL FOR THE DEATH PENALTY. WE GO HARD AND TOUGH AS HARD AND CUFF AS WE CAN ON THESE CASES WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR CASES. WE STILL HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDARIES THAT WE HAVE TO STAY WITHIN. WE STILL HAVE TO STRICTLY ADHERE NOT ONLY THE RULES OF EVIDENCE BUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ANY DEFENDANT. WE WILL DO THAT AND STILL VIGOROUSLY PURSUE JUSTICE FOR THIS CHILD. HUG YOUR CHILDREN AND KEEP THEM CLOSE. POLICE SAY THE 8-YEAR-OLD WAS SHOPPING WITH HER MOTHER AT A DOLLAR GENERAL STORE WHEN SMITH BE FRIENDED THEM AND OFFERED TO TAKE THEM TO WALMART AND BUY THEM CLOTHES. HE OFFERED TO BUY HAMBURGER AND SNACKS AND WALKED TO McDONALD INSTEAD THE 2 GOT INSIDE THEIR VAN AND DISAPPEARED. I SILL HERE WITH 32 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND I HAVE CHILLS ALL OVER MY BODY. THEY ARE ASKING FOR HELP FINDING THE STROLLER. IT WASN'T IN THE VAN WHEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. IF THEY HAVE ANY INFORMATION IN LOCATION OF THE STROLLER. THERE MAY BE A SECONDARY CRIME SCENE THAT WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE. WE RECEIVED A STATEMENT FROM CHERISH'S FATHER. MR. GEROW AND I SUPPORT THE PROSECUTION OF DONALD SMITH WHOLE HEARTILY AND THE DECISION DECISION TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY. HE SUPPORTS THE DEATH PENALTY IS SMITH IS IT FOUND GUILTY. THIS WOULD SEND A GOOD MESSAGE IF WE HAVE STIFFER SECONDS WE WOULDN'T HAVE SECOND OFFENDERS. HE IS ALSO WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PETITION FOR STRONGER LAWS AGAINST SEX OFFENDERS SO NO ONE ELSE DECIDES DIES THE WAY LITTLE CHERISH DID. I WILL WORK FOR EVERY OTHER LITTLE CHILD IN THIS WHOLE SOCIETY NOT TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO THEM AGAIN. JOINING ME NOW ON THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE THE STATE'S DECISION TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY. MIKE, YOU WORKED WITH ANGELA COREY SOME 19 YEARS BEFORE YOU STEPPED ASIDE THIS PAST MONTH. DOES IT SURPRISE YOU THAT THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS GOING TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY IN THIS CASE? NO, NOT AT ANY. ALL OF THE VARIABLE ANY OF THE CRITERIA PUSH TOWARDS GOING AFTER AT THE DEATH PENALTY. THE TYPE OF CRIME, AT THE HISTORY OF THE DEFENDANT, THE COMMUNITY OUTRAGE THAT'S HERE AND ALSO THE WAY THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS. PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT 98% OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SENTENCED PLEAD GUILTY. THEY DON'T GO TO TRIAL. YOU SEE A TRIAL GOING ON RIGHT NOW BUT BASICALLY ALMOST EVERYONE PLEADS GUILTY THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. YOU ALWAYS START OFF WITH THE HIGHEST CHARGE TO BEGIN WITH. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE MULTIPLE CHARGES THAT'S WHY THE HIGHES ARE HIGH. IF YOU NEED -- THIS SOUNDS LIKE A POKER GAME. I WILL GO OFF THE HIGHEST CHARGE AND REALIZE MAYBE IT COMES DOWN. MY NEXT QUESTION DOES THIS INCREASE THE LIKELY HOOD THERE'S A PLEA DEAL. NOT INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD BUT THERE IS ALWAYS HIKELY HOOD. ALWAYS THE LIKELIHOOD. HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO PUT THE FAMILY THROUGH THE TURMOIL AGAIN, WHAT THE RESULTS MAY BE. VERY, VERY OFTEN THERE'S A PLEA NEGOTIATION PROCESS. SAVES A LOT OF TURMOIL. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THE OUTRAGE OF THE COMMUNITY, THE TYPE OF CRIME, THE DEATH PENALTY MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WON'T COME OFF OF. THAT WILL BE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. WHAT GOES INTO THE PREPARATION FOR A CASE WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAVE THAT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT ATTACHED TO IT IF WE GET A CONVICTION. THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL LENGTHEN THE TRIAL. THE EVIDENCE AND PREPARATION FOR CONVICTION IS ONE PIECE. YOU DO HAVE A WHOLE SECOND PIECE WHEN YOU GO AFTER THE DEATH PENALTY. THE PROCESS OF PICKING A JURY IS LONGER. YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY WILL BE OBJECTIVE AND THEIR FEELING OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN GENERAL. IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL IN CONVICTION YOU HAVE A WHOLE OTHER EFFORT YOU HAVE TO PUT ON WITH WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY AND HEARINGS AND WHAT HAVE YOU TO SEEK AT THE DEATH PENALTY. THE JURY HAS TO PERFORM ANOTHER FUNCTION. IT IS QUITE ELABORATE. THERE'S NO REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE PREPARATION FOR THE TRIAL ITSELF TOWARDS CONVICTION. THE EVIDENCE IS THE EVIDENCE. THE TESTIMONY WILL BE THE TESTIMONY. IT'S JUST THAT THERE ARE MORE PIECES TO THIS PUZZLE THAN NORMAL. I HAVE HEARD ANGELA COREY SPEAK DIRECTLY AT TIMES. I COULD HEAR IN HER VOICE IN THAT PIECE WE JUST RAN FOR YOU SHE IS EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS. SHE TAKES THIS SERIOUSLY. THE SOMER THOMPSON CASE IT BRINGS IT BACK. WE WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS. IT WAS STILL OUR OFFICE THAT TAKES -- WE HAVE WITHIN THROUGH THIS IN THE PAST SOMETHING SIMILAR. I AM SURE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IT'S VERY SAD AND IT IS A PROBLEM WITH SOCIETY. BUT EVEN IF THE DEFENDANT HAS AN ISSUE HERE HE IS SAFER IF HE IS IN CONFINEMENT IN THE DEATH PENALTY SELL. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SENSED FOR LIFE IN THE GENERAL POPULATION FOR THIS TYPE OF CRIME. HE WILL PROBABLY DIE EARLIER IN THE GENERAL POPULATION THEN HE WOULD FROM THE DEATH PENALTY. MIKE WEINSTEIN IS STICKING AROUND. WE WILL TALK ABOUT A DIFFERENT TOPIC. I APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR INSIGHTS ON THAT. IT IS NOT THE TRIAL OF THE SENTRY BUT IT IS ONE CENTURY. WE ARE LOOKING AT THE MURDER TRIAL OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN. THAT'S NEXT ON "THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE". YOU ARE WATCHING "THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE" WITH KENT JUSTICE. JOINING US A PROFESSOR OF THE FLOOR DA SCHOOL OF LAW. WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CASE THE STATE OF FLORIDA AGAINST GEORGE ZIMMERMAN. YOU ARE AN INSTRUCTOR. IN SOME CASE THIS WILL BE ININSTRUCTIVE IN WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW. AT THE END OF THE PAST WEEK WE SAW TRAYVON MARTIN'S MOTHER TESTIFYING. THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS A BIG DEAL. RIGHT? IT IS. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE TEACH IN LAW SCHOOL IS CROSS EXAMINE MOTHERS. YOU NEVER WANT TO CROSS EXAM HARSHLY. IN THIS CASE YOU DO HAVE SOME MORE. YOU HAVE THE FACT THAT MISS MARTIN -- MRS. FULTON WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD THIS VOICE YOU SAID YOU COULDN'T IDENTIFY IT AS YOUR SON. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? INTO YES. ISN'T THAT THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL OF YOUR LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE. THAT MIGHT BE THE END OF THE QUESTIONING. IN THIS CASE THERE'S A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH WITH THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN AND SABRINA FULTON. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE EARLY ON WERE SAYING SHE HANDLED HERSELF EARLY ON. DIDN'T TAKE THE BAIT OR WHAT HAVE YOU. I KNOW THE JUDGE IN THIS CASE WHEN HE STARTED QUESTIONING HER HE WAS TRYING TO EXPRESS A LOT OF SYMPATHY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. IS THAT IMPORTANT THAT THE JUDGE IS TRYING TO CONTROL THAT? NOT SO MUCH. ANY JUDGE SHOULD STOP WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO APPEAL TO THE SYMPATHY OF THE JURY. I THINK THAT'S HER APPROPRIATE ROLE. SO THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS MAKING ITS CASE. ARE THEY DOING IT? ARE THEY ESTABLISHING THAT MR. ZIMMERMAN IS GUILTY? I THINK EVERYBODY WHO HAS WATCHED THE TRIAL HAS SAID THAT THEY THINK THAT THE ZIMMERMAN SIDE IS GET BEING THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PROSECUTION'S CASE. THIS IS A CASE THAT COMES DOWN TO REASONABLE DOUBT. THE STATE HAS TO PROVE BEYOND THE EXCLUSION OF REASONABLE DOUBT THAT GEORGE ZIMMERMAN COMMITTED THIS CRIME AND HE WAS NOT ACTING IN SELF DEFENSE. VERY, VERY HIGH BURDEN. I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE SAY LOOK, EVEN IF I THINK IT IS MORE LIKELY THAN THAT I DON'T HAVE REASONABLE DOUBT. WE HAVE A JURY THAT'S UNDER A LOT OF POLITICAL PRESSURE. THEY KNOW THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING AT THIS. THEY KNOW THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY WILL BE TERRIBLY UPSET BY A NOT GUILTY. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER TESTIFYING THAT IT WAS A GUN SHOT WOUND TO THE HEART AND THAT TRAYVON MARTIN LIVED ANOTHER 1 TO 10 10 MINUTES AND HE SUFFERED. THE JUDGE CUT THAT SHORT AS WELL SAID WHETHER HE SUFFERED OR NOT DOES NOT MATTER. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT AND NOBODY SAW HIM MOVING. THERE WAS NO WAY HE WOULD SURVIVE NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF MEDICAL PROCEDURES WERE UNDERTAKEN. THE KEY QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT GEORGE ZIMMERMAN ACTED IN SELF DEFENSE. YOU MENTIONED HIGH BURDEN FOR THE STATE. SINCE THERE AREN'T WITNESSES WHO SAW EVERYTHING HAPPEN THAT MAKES IT TOUGH. I THINK IT IS DIFFICULT TO LOOK AT THIS CASE AND SAY I HAVE NO REASONABLE DOUBT. ANYBODY WHO HEARD THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN GOOD I DON'T KNOW. IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE OBLIGATION OF THE JUST I IS TO ACQUIT. THEY DON'T ALWAYS FULFILL THAT OBLIGATION. THAT'S A BIG QUESTION. ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BASED ON POLITICAL PRESSURES. WHAT HAS TO BE IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND I AM GOING TO BE BACK IN THE COMMUNITY AFTER THIS VERDICT COMES BACK. AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE OF HAVING ACQUITTED ON GEORGE ZIMMERMAN. IT'S GOING TO WEIGH ON THEIR MIND. IT WILL TAKE 6 STRONG PEOPLE TO ACQUIT MR. ZIMMERMAN BASED ON A LACK OF EVIDENCE WHETHER THEY WILL DO THAT OR NOT WE WILL SEE SOMETIME NEXT WEEK WE WILL KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. THE DEFENSE GETS TO PRESENT ITS SIDE OF THE EQUATION TOO. APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION. WE WILL KEEP WATCHING AS I'M SURE YOU ARE. COMING UPSTATE LAWMAKER STATE FIGURE IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WE WILL TALK DIFFERENTLY WITH THIS MOVER AND SHAKER WHO BROUGHT THE SUPER BOWL TO THE CITY. HE JOINS US WITH WHAT HE IS DOING FOR AN ENCORE. MIKE WEINSTEIN IS BACK WITH US. APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A PROSECUTOR. YOU HAVE A NEW ROLE. THIS SPRING LAUNCHED AS THE LEADER OF THE NONPROFIT VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE. ANOTHER 10 YEARS OLD. WHAT CAN YOU ME ABOUT VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE. I AM VERY BLESSED TO HAVE GOTTEN THIS OPPORTUNITY. THEY HIRED ME ABOUT 3 MONTHS TO BE THE FIRST CEO OF A TEN YEAR ORGANIZATION CALLED VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE. VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE PROVIDES PRIMARY CARE FOR THE WORKING UNINSURED. YOU HAVE TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE WORKING THROUGH PAY STUBS INCOME TAX WHAT HAVE YOU. PROVE THAT YOU ARE MAKING IN BETWEEN AN AMOUNT THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR MEDICAID BUT NOT ENOUGH TO REALLY AFFORD YOUR OWN HEALTH INSURANCE. YOU COME TO US. WE QUALIFY YOU AS BEING ELIGIBLE AND WE PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE. WE HAVE 250 VOLUNTEERS DOCTORS, NURSES NON-PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL PEOPLE AS VOLUNTEERS. BASICALLY WE PROVIDE THE MEDICINE. IT IS A CLINIC DOWNTOWN ON DUVAL STREET. THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING ABOUT 500 PATIENTS A MONTH, 6000 A YEAR. WE RAN A $4.5 MILLION BUSINESS WITH. THE MEDICINE WE GET AT THE LABS ARE FREE. THE DOCTORS AND NURSES THAT COME IN IT IS QUITE AN OPERATION HELPING PEOPLE STAY OUT OF THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND STAY OUT OF GETTING DIABETES TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS SEVERE AND HYPERTENSION. IT IS A GREAT CONCEPT. IT IS A CONCEPT THAT IS NOT GOING AWAY. SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT BECAUSE OF OBAMA CARE IT WILL GO AWAY. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING LOSING INSURANCE THE POPULATION THAT COULD COME TO US IS GROWING. YOU HAVE THIS GAP IN THERE THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS FOR. HOW IS THAT IMPACTED BY WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT BEING IMPLEMENTED? THERE ARE LOTS OF CHANGES COMING. THE CHANGES TO THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY ARE ENORMOUS. ONE OF THE REASONS I TOOK THIS POSITION WAS TO TRY TO LEARN ALL I COULD BY THIS GREAT INDUSTRY. THERE WILL BE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BUY THROUGH THE EXCHANGE. THERE WILL BE SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD PREMIUMS EVEN WITH THE SUBSIDIES. THEY WOULD RATHER PAY $285 PENALTY THEN $3000 FOR INSURANCE POLICY AND $3000 FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT CHOOSE NOT TO. THERE WILL BE EMPLOYERS THAT WILL DO AWAY WITH THE INSURANCE THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERING. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING IS PUSHING EVERYBODY TO THE SAME POLICY. THEY ARE REQUIRING ALL OF THESE MINIMUMS TO BE IN EVERYBODY'S POLICY. THEY ARE REQUIRING EVERY INSURANCE TO HAVE TO TAKE ALL PREEXISTING CONDITIONS. SO THE POLICIES ARE ALL GOING TO BEGIN TO LOOK LIKE. THEY WILL BE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO COVER EVERYTHING IN THE FUTURE AND AT THE CHOICES THERE WILL BE DIFFERENCE INSURANCE COMPANIES BUT THEY WILL BE OFFERING THE SAME THING. EACH INSURANCE COMPANY WILL OFFER A BRONZE, GOLD, PLATINUM AND SILVER. THEY WILL COST DIFFERENT AMOUNTS. THEY WILL PROVIDE AT THE SAME CATEGORIES BUT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CO-PAYS. THERE WILL BE SOME OPTIONS. IT IS CHAOTIC TO BEGIN WITH AND WE AS A COMMUNITY AS A STATE AND COMMUNITY I WOULD SAY AT LEAST 90 TO 95% OF THE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT IS COMING IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY. THAT DOESN'T EXCITE ME WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME THERE DOESN'T MAKE ME OH YEAH THESE CHANGES ARE COMING. THIS WILL BE HARD ON PEOPLE A LOT OF PEOPLE. RIGHT? IF IT CONTINUES ON THE MOMENTUM AND IMPLEMENTATION 10 YEARS FROM NOW YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE THE HOW HEALTH COVERAGE IS DONE COMPARED TO THE WAY IT IS DONE TODAY. FORTUNATELY FOR US WE HAVE GOT A SITUATION WHERE THE HOSPITALS ARE SUPPORTIVE. WE HAVE DONORS AND FOUNDATION THAT'S HELP US RAISE THE 6000 THAT IT COST. WE GET NO FEDERAL MONEY OR STATE MIAMI BEACH. WE DO IT THROUGH VOLUNTEERS. IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE. THERE ARE 10 VOLUNTEERS. THERE ARE 92 IN THE COUNTRY. THEY ARE SERVICING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND WILL GO ON DOING IT. WHEN I WAS BEING INTERVIEWED I SAID AREN'T YOU GOING TO BE OUT OF BUSINESS WITH OBAMA CARE. THEY EXPLAINED WHY NOT. NOW THAT I AM IN THE BUSINESS STUDYING IT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE OUT OF BUSINESS WE WILL SEE MORE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE THAN WE ARE SEEING TODAY. THEY NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER. THE GAP WILL CONTINUE. WE ARE ONLY HELPING THOSE THAT ARE PROVING THEY ARE WORKING. THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO COME IN AND PROVE THAT THEY HAVE A JOB THEY ARE JUST NOT MAKING ENOUGH TO AFFORD THEIR OWN INSURANCE. MIKE, I APPRECIATE IT. BEST SUCCESS THERE AND WHAT YOU ARE GOING DO I LOVE A CHALLENGE. SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT ONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH MIKE WEANSTEIN WITH US. FINAL SEGMENT ON THE WAY WE ARE JOINED BY THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. THE FIRST VOTE ON THE BUDGET COMING UP THIS MONTH. THAT'S NEXT ON "THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE". YOU ARE WATCHING "THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE" ON CHANNEL 4. THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US. THIS IS JASON FISHER A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THAT WE HAVE VISITED WITH A TIME OR TWO BEFORE. FIRST TIME ON THE SHOW. I APPRECIATE TALKING WITH US. THIS IS THE FIRST SUNDAY IN JULY END OF THIS MONTH. YOU GUYS ARE VOTING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. WHERE DO THINGS STAND THERE? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS PRIORITY ON THIS BUDGET IT IS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. ONE THE ISSUES WAS REDOING THE BUDGET TOTALLY. WE STARTED FROM THE GROUND UP AND WE CHARGED THEM TO GO EACH TO EACH DEPARTMENT AND JUSTIFY EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THEY SPENT. WE REBUILD A $1.6 BILLION BUDGET FROM THE GROUND UP. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH HOW THAT WENT? I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT THIS BUDGET LOOKS LIKE. I WASN'T ON THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY. I WON'T SPEAK TO ANY OF THOSE. THIS BUDGET THINGS LOOK MUCH BETTER. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE FULFILLING A RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU GET EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO JUSTIFY EVERYTHING IN THE BUDGET. IT IS AMAZING SOME OF THE WASTE YOU FIND. ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TELL YOU WE TOOK OUT 20% OF OUR OVERHEAD DISTRICT OUR DISTRICT OVERHEAD BUDGET DOWNTOWN AND PUSHED THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMS. THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE. THAT COMES FROM BOARD LEADER SHIP OR SUPERINTENDENT'S LEADERSHIP OR ARE YOU REALLY WORKING TOGETHER? I THINK IT WAS BOTH. THERE WAS A REAL PRIORITY TO THE BOARD TO SAY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. WE ARE NEW ON THE JOB. YOU ARE NEW ON THE JOB LET'S DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE EVERY DOLLAR GOES INTO THE CLASSROOM AND ISN'T SPENT ON A ADULTS BUT CHILDREN. TO REPLACE THE FCAT. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT. THE ASSESSMENT IS CALLED THE PARTNERSHIP FOR ASSESS MEANT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. I THINK OVERALL THAT WILL BE A GOOD CHANGE BECAUSE YOU WILL GO FROM HAVING A STATE ONLY TEST TO A TEST THAT'S NORM REFERENCE IN COMPARISON WITH CALIFORNIA, MICHIGAN. ALL OF THE OTHER DIFFERENT STATES. I THINK AT THE PROSPECT OF IT IS GOOD. WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND IT HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED YET. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALL B TALK ABOUT THE FCAT IS COMING. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS SOME SUPPORT FOR LET'S TRY SOMETHING ELSE. THERE'S THAT. RECENTLY THE UNIONS HAVE COME OUT AGAINST COMMON CORE SPECIFICALLY ASSESSMENT THE ACCOUNTABILITY ASSESSMENT. I THINK THAT'S THE UNDERLYING ISSUE THEY ARE TRYING TO GET WITH THE FCAT IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY ASSESSMENT. I THINK YOU WILL SEE TEACHER UNIONS HAVE STARTED TALKING. WE DON'T WANT EVEN THAT TEST TO COME OUT. IT'S CONTENTIOUS I'M SURE AT TIMES. YOU HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO JASON, I APPRECIATE IT. JASON FISHER FROM THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD IN HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS THIS MORNING. NEXT WEEK WE ARE DIVING INTO THE DEMOLITIONS IN SPRINGFIELD. WE WILL LOOK AT PROPERTIES GETTING PLOWED UNDER AND WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE. LATER JAGUAR'S PRESIDENT JOINS US THE MAKE OVER GETTING UNDER WAY AT THE STADIUM AND THE NEW SEASON IN THE NFL. "THIS WEEK IN JACKSONVILLE" EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT THIS TIME. I'M KENT JUSTICE. THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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